Adjustable screen door grille



y 1951 R. H. HUTCHINSON 2,562,428

ADJUSTABLE SCREEN DOOR GRILLE Filed April 22, 1950 ROBERT hf Hu TCH/NJON INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY l Patented July 31, 1951 v UNITED s 2,562,428 DJUSTABLE sQ N- 110 B RILLE Robert Hutchinson, Dallas, Tex. 1 Application April 2.2, 1950,, a N 157,429

3 Qlailns. (Cl. 1 60-'16'1) and more particularly in adjusting features of thi y O r e- A popular type of protective grille for screen doors is composed of intercrossed straps of metal, pivoted at their intersections and Whose ends are formed into ornamental scrolls. disadvantage however in this type of grille lies in the fact that adjustment of the grille in one dimension, as permitted through the pivotal in; tercennection of; its component parts will result in a correspending change in the ctherdimem sion. In f tting a grille to a screen door frame where the required expansion in a vertical direction is but slight, it has been the practice to partially unrol-l the uppermost scrolls of the grille until sufficient height is gained to reach the cross-bar of the screen door frame. On the other hand, a limited increase in height is obtained in the manner described in applicants U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,325,402 in which extra arms are pivoted intermediate their ends to the upper ends of certain of the intercrossing straps ofthe grille. These methods of obtaining height adjustment of the grilles have proved to be inadequate in many cases.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a screen door grille consisting of the usual intercrossed and pivoted straps having scrolled ends but certain of the straps are shaped to define receptacles midway between the sides of the grille at its top and bottom, in each of which is mounted for longitudinal sliding displacement, an auxiliary securing means for the grille which not only prevents flapping of the grille at the top and bottom but also lends to the ornamental appearance thereof. Moreover, by virtue of the invention, a grille so equipped will find wider adaptation since it may conveniently and quickly be adjusted in one direction with compensation for like adjustment in a transverse direction without disturbing the ornamental appearance of the grille.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a screen door grille constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the form of clamp employed to hold the grille parts together, and I Figures 3, 4 and 5 show schematically various shapes assumed by the grille to illustrate the adaptation thereto of the adjusting means of the invention.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the invention, reference numeral I0 denotes a One . 2 I pair qf metal straps or bars forming a substantially X-shaped design the center of the grille and to these straps are pivoted at II, intercrossing straps I2. The ends of straps It) are coiled into scrolls It, as are the adjacent ends of the straps I'2 whose scrolls Hktogether with scrolls I3, are screwed to the upright members I5. of a screen door frame.

Conventional grilles constructed withintercrossed and pivoted straps are capable of; horivontal and vertical adjustment by reason of the relatively pivotal displacement of the straps. However, extension in a longitudinal direction produces a corresponding contraction in a horizontal direction and vice versa, hence to establish anchorage at the top and bottom of-the grille, the invention provides the arrangement shown and while such arrangement precludes free pivotal displacement of the straps Ill and I2, they can nevertheless be so displaced for expansive and contractive adjustments of the grille by bending the straps-I2- at points a (Fig. 1). This is done'usually to change'the horizontal dimension ofthe grille since the invention, to be described presently, compensates for any deficiency in the vertical dimension.

The upper and lower straps I2 are convergent towards a point midway between the upper and lower ends of the intercrossing straps IE1 and at points a in the straps 12, the end portions b thereof are turned into substantial parallelism but are spaced apart to accommodate for sliding movement therebetween, a pair of straps It. The end portions b of straps I2 are secured in the described relationship with straps It by means of lengths of metal straps formed into collars I! which embrace the straps I2 and It in clamping engagement in the manner shown in Figure 2 in which, it will be observed, the confronting ends of the strap forming the collar are spaced apart to define a slot I8 to receive the bit of a screw driver or like instrument for expanding the collar, thus to enable the straps It to be slid freely between the flanking end portions b of straps I2.

The end portions b of straps I2 are bowed outwardly between the clamps I1 at the top and bottom of the grille. This is to minimize frictional engagement between the portions b and straps I6 when it is desired to move the latter longitudinally. The extremities of straps I2 are formed into ornamental flat scrolls I9 both at the top and bottom of the grille to carry out the symmetrical design of the grille.

In like manner, the inner ends of the straps I6 are formed into scrolls 20 while the outer ends thereof are arcuated as at 2I and are aperturecl This permits the straps IE to be slid outwardly,

until their arcuated outer ends are brought up against the horizontal portions 22 of the screen or to a predetermined measurement, whereupon the clamps are again closed tightly on the straps by striking them a blow with a hammer. 'The grille, now properly adjusted to the screen frame may be secured therein by inserting screws in holes made in each of the scrolls 13, I4 and 2|.

Maniiestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims 4 door frame, a plurality of intercrossing straps of bendable material connected together at their intersections for relative pivotal displacement, at least two of said straps having their ends bent at angles disposing said ends in relative parallelism but which angles are changeable to yield to said pivotal displacement of said straps, expansible collars embracing the parallel portions of said straps in spaced apart relationship, means disposed for longitudinal sliding adjustment between said parallel portions to compensate for contraction of said grille in one plane caused by its expansion in a right angular plane and means for affixing the outer ends of said straps and said adjustable means to said screen door frame.

3. In a grille composed of intercrossing and relatively pivoted straps adapted for vertical and is also considered to be within the spirit and door frame, a plurality of intercrossing straps of malleable material connected together at their intersections for relative pivotal displacement, selected pairs of said straps having their ends bent into relative parallelism and defining angles at the bends which are changeable in accordance with the relative displacement of said straps, an adjusting member comprising a pair of parallel straps disposed between the parallel ends of said selected pair of straps for vertical sliding displacement, spaced apart means embracing the pairs of straps capable of expansion and contraction for respectively releasing and binding said pairs of straps and means for securing the outer ends of each of said straps to said screen door frame. I

2. In a grille adapted for disposition in a screen horizontal expansion and contraction to adapt the same to a screen door frame, means adapted to compensate for variations in the height of said grille as a direct result of variations in the width thereof, said means comprising a pair of straps connected for vertical sliding displacement between convergent parallel ends of selected straps of said grille at the top and bottom thereof to vary the effective length of said grille irrespective of the Width thereof said relatively pivoted straps being bendable at points below their parallel ends to yield to adjustments in the width and length of said grille and means for securing the outer ends of said pivoted and slidable straps to said screen door frame.

ROBERT H. HUTCHINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 107,894 Hutchinson Jan. 11, 1938 2,210,371 Hutchinson Aug. 6, 1940 2,220,730 Puppo Nov. 5, 1940 

